[D&D] Homebrews

[Benicus]

We have all heard of the great worlds of D&D. Greyhawk, Eberron, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, all of these (and perhaps more) give images in the minds eye of different things from both a players and a DM's perspective. Why is that? Why are these settings seen as perpetually better than most homebrews?

[nightinverse]

Well, Dragonlance was originally spawned off of a real setting somebody developed for their specific campaign, or so Weis and Hickman say...

I've never seen any of those listed as better than a homebrew. Thus far the only setting I've ever considered generally better is Dark Sun - but I do grasp what you're asking here. I think it must be convience that makes people think they are better. The only reasons why they would be better are bound up in the playtesting prior to release and the professional writers hired. Some GMs cannot write at a professional level, and some GMs cannot devise and test effectively before using their own material.

[BigRedRod]

Why are these settings seen as better than most homebrews? They aren't. They are seen as pre-existing fully developed worlds. Some DMs like that. Some don't. Same goes for players really.

It's either a reduction in workload or a straightjacket depending how you look at it. Time is the factor here rather than quality.

Myself, I fall more into the straightjacket camp, although I did love in love with Eberron (most of it at least). The problem is that I already feel that I'm out of my depth and couldn't DM a game in that setting.

To really start kicking a hornet's nest I'll talk about D&D's infamous Forgotten Realms setting. I'm not sure when this setting appeared, I'd guess that, like Greyhawk, it was the world that one of the designers came up with. The point is that more has been written about this setting than any other, as far as I'm aware. Countless sourcebooks for all editions and dozens of those horrid D&D novels.

To most this might be an opportunity, but I'd feel like I was selling my players short unless I had access to every single piece of information. Otherwise a player who really likes the FR setting might feel sold out that I'm not playing a certain character/organisation/race the way it should be.

As a result I tend to stick to homebews that expand outwards and welcome players merrily developing sections of the world as we go along (this is chiefly done through their backstories).

This is where the present day game set on earth (or at least a very similar world) has a massive advantage. Everybody is ultimately familiar with the way things work and nobody needs any of that explaining, nor do you need books of information.

Oh, and I'm moving this to CY. Seems like the perfect kind of thread for that forum (one not about any particular system and not about mechanics, the best kind).

[itches]

And in some cases why are they perpetually better than most homebrews?

Because most ordinary DM's and Roleplayers don't have the time or desire to put the time into a setting that the developers do. Or - and I hesitate to say this - most developers are sizeably more talented in these regards then your average roleplayer?

I prefer a homebrew setting, but I would never suggest anyone else try to use one of my settings.

[Mercutio]

I'm going to buck the trend here, but in two ways.

I don't think "homebrews" are really that different from the standard worlds. My favorite part of Eberron is that Keith Baker, the designer, says, "It can be that way in your Eberron." I feel like my Eberron is different from everyone else's, and when discussing it on the WotC boards or at 3ebb or here, I find that it IS different from other people's Eberron. I like that.

FR I'm just so familiar with that I can't DM in it. I do still like to play in it.

I have no preference of home-brewed over published or anything. I find that it depends on the game, the gamers, and what is sought. Why invite a new horror/fantasy setting when one exists (Ravenloft) that you can tailor as you see fit? Why create a pulp/fantasy setting when Eberron exists? Why create a low-level persistent high fantasy world (Dragonlance)? Why create a high-level persistent high fantasy world (FR)? Why create a post-apocalyptic fantasy world with psionics (Dark Sun)?

There are two main reasons to make homebrews - 1. You are the god. Everything in the world is the way it is because you say so. 2. Because you feel rewarded by the creation process and feel that it gives you the right to tailor things differently.


There are two main reasons to play in a published setting - 1. A lot of the work is done for you and you really just have to write a story set in that world, not start from scratch. 2. You have a completely different opinion on how a setting should be run and look for ways to take that published setting with elements you like, and tailor it to your needs.

Plus - some DMs just should never create their own settings because they suck at it. Some are awesome and could create a world out of thin air that is consistent and seems real.

[Doomsmile]

There are two main reasons to make homebrews - 1. You are the god. Everything in the world is the way it is because you say so. 2. Because you feel rewarded by the creation process and feel that it gives you the right to tailor things differently. I personally love world-building. The way I see it, why buy books that describe someone else's world when you can* build your own?


*Meaning that you feel confident with world-building and are willing to invest the time.

[Linklegacy77]

I like homebrews because I've created it: it is the result of my hard work. I can make everything the way I want to and suprise all my players in homebrew. In FR or Ebberron, I can't because there is a good chance somebody is familiar with it.

[LynMars]

The argument I see against some premade worlds is "all the NPCs have done all the cool things." In settings like Dragonlance, that's especially true. All the major plot points and hooks are wrapped up neatly in the novels, become flavor text, and the PCs just get to deal with aftermath and cleanup. Why go through the modules when it's really obvious how it's going to go down in the end?

Same reason a lot of folks I know won't RP in Babylon 5 or Star Wars games; very specific plots in those worlds, focused on specific people and places.

There's room for both sides and preferences, it just depends on how much one wants to put into it--whether using a pre-made setting, or a home brew. One GM took Star Wars and set it back before the rise of the Old Republic. Another took Forgotten Realms and set it a thousand or more years later, with significant changes to keep players on their toes. It provided a good mix of familiar and new in both cases. Other Gms have created purely homebrewed settings that were hella fun to play in, and grew as we played.

It's all about what the gaming group enjoys more, really.

[Gnarsh]

To really start kicking a hornet's nest I'll talk about D&D's infamous Forgotten Realms setting. I'm not sure when this setting appeared, I'd guess that, like Greyhawk, it was the world that one of the designers came up with. The point is that more has been written about this setting than any other, as far as I'm aware. Countless sourcebooks for all editions and dozens of those horrid D&D novels.

Just a note about the creation of the Forgotten Realms - it was actually created (In some short stories) by Ed Greenwood before D&D even existed. When Ed started playing D&D, he adapted the world to the rules, and eventually some of it got published in Dragon Magazine. Then it got made into an official setting.

And I like premade worlds because, quite frankly, I'm no good at making my own. I can come up with some decent ideas, sure, but I'm very easily distracted, and before long I'll abandon the project and do something else.

[hedgeknight]

I'm kinda with Mercutio - I love playing in the Forgotten Realms, mainly in the North ( I don't care for any region south of Daggerford or east of the High Forest). But in my game, I take the FR and tweak it to fit MY version of the Realms - which is very different from the published game materials.

I also have a homebrew campaign but it is very small scale with only hints of other regions. In fact, the group's adventures have been limited to one tiny port town - but oh, what a port town! ;)
-g-

[Gralhruk]

The good: Much of the legwork is done for you.

The bad: You get lost in your own campaign.

I don't know many DMs who have the time to detail an entire world even if they had the ability to do so in a coherent and interesting fashion. The fact is that it takes most people a lot of time to come up with geography, population, politics and all the other stuff that goes along with creating a single believable town, let alone a city or an entire region. It is a massive amount of work. I also don't know any campaigns that make use of the detail that would be present in that almanac.

So not only is it a ridiculously huge task, but it is a ridiculously huge task in which most of that work will never see the light of day.

Published settings are attractive in that they remove the necessity of thinking out even a fraction of that detail. They give you a backdrop against which to set your adventure.

As BRR points out, one problem with this is that fanatical players may well know more about your world than you do. Not only does this make it difficult to cover all bases, but material you don't have access to may well change assumptions you have already made. Not only that, but new supplements may radically alter events or change the flavor of cities/organizations/races to an extent where some of your own material now no longer fits well.

Essentially, you run the risk of putting too many cooks in the kitchen.

In general I don't have an issue with published settings - Dark Sun, Midnight, and even Eberron I find interesting and fun. But I think a DM needs to pick and choose what published material to incorporate so that the game makes sense. I also think you need to make sure that players understand that the world in your game may not be quite what they have read about.

[Takkaryx]

I love playing in home-brew games. Always soemthing new and fun. The longest game I ever played (>3 years) was a home-brew DnD game set in the Nordic Mythology. Great fun fighting giants and dragons and such.

However, I like to Dm pre-built, because I would love to build my own world, and all that, I'm kind of impatient, and I know I would not be able to finish it to a degree that I would like. That's why I'm running Ptolus, because all the background is there, all I need to do is run the NPCs and adventures.

[elmer_jok]

The best campaign I've played in so far was a homebrew as well. It was based on the Nordic Mythology, but had elements of greek worshippers and even the Pharonian Mythology. It has seen over 10 years of play, 6 different parties, a couple that met, and transfered from 1st edition, to a 2nd edition hybrid and now finally to 3rd edition, with some 2nd edition flavored house rules. It does however take a very intelligent DM to handle so much.